


Dry Lightning

by TheKnightOfHeart



Series: Fixing a Broken Heart [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Keith/Lance (Voltron), Kosmo (Voltron) is Best Boy, Multi, Pining Allura (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron), Post Voltron: Legendary Defender Season/Series 07, Sad Keith (Voltron), Sad Lance (Voltron), Voltron: Legendary Defender Season/Series 08 Fix-It, we're still technically between seasons but i might delve into s8
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 09:45:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21116717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheKnightOfHeart/pseuds/TheKnightOfHeart
Summary: Dinner can’t be over fast enough. As soon as she eats the last bit of food from her plate, Allura stands quickly. “Lance, please meet me outside in the main courtyard when you’re finished with your dinner,” she blurts as she gathers up her dishes. She almost leaves before she can hear his stuttered, “O-okay.”Allura drops her plate off in the dish return and almost runs outside. The rapidly cooling desert air helps calm her racing thoughts, and she notices with a small shiver that it’s quite windy. The clouds that have been gathering for the past day or so have turned a very dark, threatening grey. She can hear some sort of distant thundering noise, but the other humans walking around do little more than glance up curiously before going about their business. Obviously Earth weather is less dangerous than Altean weather, though the thundering has Allura swallowing thickly and glancing up at the sky nervously. She doesn’t like whatever that sound is.





	Dry Lightning

Allura is nervous, and it has nothing to do with the threat of Galra hanging over the lovely little planet called Earth. You think it _would_ be because of that, and normally it _would_ be, but in recent pheobs, a lot of things have changed. Some changes were good, others were... necessary but not exactly pleasant.

It’s strange to be so nervous about something so seemingly unimportant as a private conversation with Lance, but maybe it’s a good thing that she is. It might be a sign that she’s finally getting over a certain Galran prince who ended up not being who she thought he was. And Lance, she has just recently realized, might be exactly the person she’s been looking for. He’s handsome, kind, funny (sometimes), and surprisingly wise. She wishes it hadn’t taken so long for her to realize it, but now that she has, she finds herself wondering what it would be like to return Lance’s advances.

Granted, he cut back on a lot of his flirting all the way back when Shiro’s consciousness got trapped in the Astral Plane, and even more when Keith left for the Blades, but she can tell from his blush and his flustered responses that he still very much likes her, just like her mice had told her all those months ago. But unlike all those months ago, she was _excited_ by his crush, not guilty about how she didn’t like him back.

Because Allura is almost totally certain that she likes Lance back. And tonight, when they see each other, she’s going to ask him if he’d like to go on a date with her.

The thought makes her nervous, of course, but it’s a _good_ kind of nervous. It makes her heart beat a little faster and her steps a bit lighter. Coran and Romelle both notice and question her good mood, but she doesn’t want to tell them just yet. Coran would get overprotective, and Romelle would probably tell everybody willing (and unwilling) to listen. For right now, she wants to keep this to herself. So she tells them she’s just feeling hopeful about their new allies, and that seems to sate them.

The day seems to go quickly after she plucks up the courage to actually ask Lance to talk with her privately. It’s a blessing and a curse: a blessing because she is able to tune out most of the meetings they’re stuck in, but a curse because she can’t concentrate enough to give her own input (something that most of the team seems to realize) and every time her eyes catch on Lance’s form, she finds it even harder to concentrate. Lance has always been a very attractive young man, but it seems like his sharp jaw and dark blue eyes and fit form are the only things Allura can focus on whenever she sees him.

She’s not very hungry, but she forces herself to eat dinner. It’s strange to eat dinner in the Garrison, she notices. Back on the Castle, it was just their team, but even in the smaller mess hall for higher-ranking officers, there’s a lot of people she doesn’t recognize. A lot of them are polite enough not to interrupt her team’s conversations, but some of them do, and it’s awkward every time.

It doesn’t hold a candle to how awkward the dinner table is tonight, though. Pidge told them earlier that she would be having a family dinner with her family that night, and Hunk had told them the same thing. Shiro and Adam were going to be taking a late dinner to catch up on paperwork, and Keith and Krolia don’t even bother to show up at all. It’s just her, Coran, Romelle, and Lance, and Allura finds it hard to stay in a conversation. Every time she catches Lance’s eye, she feels her marks glow softly in embarrassment. Coran and Romelle catch on quickly and conversation devolves into interrogating Lance as “subtly” as possible, Allura glowing brighter and trying her best to get them to stop.

Dinner can’t be over fast enough. As soon as she eats the last bit of food from her plate, Allura stands quickly. “Lance, please meet me outside in the main courtyard when you’re finished with your dinner,” she blurts as she gathers up her dishes. She almost leaves before she can hear his stuttered, “O-okay.”

Allura drops her plate off in the dish return and almost runs outside. The rapidly cooling desert air helps calm her racing thoughts, and she notices with a small shiver that it’s quite windy. The clouds that have been gathering for the past day or so have turned a very dark, threatening grey. She can hear some sort of distant thundering noise, but the other humans walking around do little more than glance up curiously before going about their business. Obviously Earth weather is less dangerous than Altean weather, though the thundering has Allura swallowing thickly and glancing up at the sky nervously. She doesn’t like whatever that sound is.

She doesn’t have time to worry about the weather for very long, however, as Lance suddenly appears at her side, breathing a little heavier than usual. Allura realizes that he’d probably run after her. Her marks begin to glow again, and her cheeks heat up a bit.

“You okay?” Lance asks before Allura can greet him. “You looked really upset all through dinner.”

“O-oh, I’m fine,” Allura assures him quickly. “I was just embarrassed about how nosy Coran and Romelle were being.”

Lance laughs, a bit quieter than his usual volume, but just as warm. How has Allura not noticed how nice his laugh is until just recently? “That was _nothing_,” he tells her. “I grew up with a huge family. Every reunion usually includes even _more_ intrusive questions. One time I let it slip that I was going to take a girl on a date, and my great aunt sat me down to give me the _Talk_.” He emphasizes the word like Allura will pick up on his meaning, but she’s lost. She’s distracted by the pink appearing on Lance’s cheeks and the way he rubs the back of his neck. “The next time I saw her, she asked if I was a father.”

Allura’s mind fills in the blanks, and her marks flare. “Oh,” she says dumbly. “So by ‘the Talk’, you meant a discussion of... um, intercourse?”

Lance sighs and covers his eyes. His cheeks have turned quite ruddy now. “Unfortunately, yes,” he grumbles. “The worst part was that one, I’d already had the Talk _multiple_ times, and _two_, I had to call off the date because I’d forgotten I needed to babysit my niece and nephew. So I didn’t even get the chance to take her to dinner, let alone do... _that_.”

Allura can’t help but giggle quietly. “Well, good to know Romelle and Coran haven’t scared you off,” she says lightly.

Lance pauses and uncovers his eyes slowly to give her a look she can’t quite decipher. The dark blush on his cheeks speaks volumes, though. “S-so when you said you wanted to talk tonight, did you mean…?”

“I... I wanted to confess, yes,” Allura finishes for him. Her marks are _definitely_ glowing noticeably by now, and she sees Lance’s eyes dip down to look at them for a moment before focusing back on her eyes.

“Confess,” Lance repeats. “As in, you’re going to tell me that you like me? Romantically?”

Allura bites her bottom lip gently and nods. “May we walk while we talk, though?” she asks, casting a glance to the nearby door. She doesn’t want anyone to overhear such a private conversation.

Lance blinks and follows her gaze. He jumps a little and nods hastily. “Y-yes, of course, let’s just-- I know a place.”

He pauses for just a moment before offering his hand to her. She smiles warmly and takes it. His hands are cold from the cold wind blowing around them, but Allura doesn’t mind. If anything, his cold skin is a welcome distraction from the warmth of the rest of her body.

They begin to walk, and Allura gathers her thoughts. Ten or so vargas had not been enough to prepare, just as she’d thought. Lance, to his credit, waits patiently and doesn’t stare at her. He merely guides them away from the main sprawl of buildings and toward a large courtyard with a few trees and well-manicured grass.

“As you’ve already guessed, I want to tell you that I have begun to feel romantically towards you,” Allura starts carefully. “You are a wonderful friend, Lance. You’re kind, funny, and talented, and I would love to get to know you better. And, maybe, if you’re up for it... date.”

Lance stays quiet for a few moments, his eyes so lidded that they almost look closed. “How long have you liked me?” he asks after a few agonizingly quiet seconds.

Allura blinks. She had been expecting him to be excited or flustered or happy. Instead, he looks exhausted. “I... I think I started to notice my feelings for you after you comforted me about...” She swallows. “About Lotor.”

“And before then?”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand what you’re asking.”

“Did you like me _before_ that moment?”

She frowns. “I... I-I don’t know, but I’ve _always_ cared about you.”

Lance finally stops walking and turns to face her. They’re standing under a tree now, and the sky is a dark, churning mass. It looks like it’ll start precipitating at any moment. Allura glances up wearily as the sky shakes, but Lance seems to ignore it in favor of turning his attention on Allura.

“Princess, I’ve liked you for a long time,” Lance says. His eyes are oddly sad for someone returning her confession. “Back when we first met and for a long time afterwards, I would’ve given _anything_ for you to have liked me back. But now…”

He sighs, and Allura isn’t surprised that there’s more to his feelings than just reciprocation. She no longer foolishly thinks his emotions are skin-deep and always easily observable. He wears his heart on his sleeve, as the humans say, but he buries his insecurities as far as he can under his pride and grandstanding.

“Now, Princess, I don’t know _what_ to think,” Lance admits in a near-whisper. Allura steps closer to hear him better. It’s amazing how many freckles dot his cheeks and how long it took her to really notice them. “On one hand, I’m happy that you finally return my feelings, but on the other, I’m confused. Why _now_, of all times? Why did you take so long to realize I was on your radar?”

Allura flares up in defense of herself. “Are you implying that my feelings are disingenuous?”

“No!” Lance says quickly, putting up his hands. “No, not at all! You’re one of the smartest people I know, and you would _never_ do something like lie about having a crush on me. But... I guess what I’m trying to say is…”

He takes a deep breath. “When Lotor appeared and started grabbing your attention, I could tell right away that I was never going to be enough for you. You’re the ten-thousand-plus-year-old princess to a completely alien species that I didn’t even know _existed_ until two or so years ago. You’re diplomatic, kind, loyal, determined, and so, so strong. You never seem to falter, and when you do, you know there’s no shame in it. You always manage to pick yourself back up and keep going, no matter what’s standing in your way or what’s happened to you in the past. In short, you’re _amazing_.

“But _me_, on the other hand... I’m just a loudmouthed pilot from Cuba. I’m not secretly royalty, I haven’t endured the near extinction of my entire species and the destruction of my homeworld; I mean, I only became a fighter pilot because there was an open spot after Keith got kicked out. I agreed to be a Paladin before I even really understood what it meant, and by the time I did, it was too late for me to go back. There were days on the Castle where I wanted nothing more than to leave behind my bayard and armor and Lion and take a shuttle all the way back to Earth, just so I could hug my mom and cry and tell her all the horrible things I’d seen and done.

“I’m not stupid enough to see my own worth, but I can’t be a space prince for you. I can only be what I am. And what I am is a homesick kid who was forced to become a soldier. I’m just Lance.”

Allura doesn’t know how to respond for a few seconds. Finally, though, she manages to say, “I’ve never thought of you like that, Lance. You are _not_ just a pilot from Cube.”

Lance’s eyes crinkle at the edges as he laughs quietly. He covers his grin with his hand and tries, unsuccessfully, to school his features. “It’s Cube-_ah_, actually, but I appreciate the effort and the sentiment, Princess.”

Allura can’t help but flinch at the title, however fondly spoken. “Why do you call me that?” she demands as her eyes begin to sting. “You keep insisting that I’m a princess, but I can hardly be called that anymore. My kingdom has been destroyed along with my homeworld. I am a princess of nothing.”

Lance’s smile doesn’t falter. “You know, a superhero movie once told me that a kingdom is not a place but a people. Anywhere your people are is where Altea is. As long as Alteans exist, and Romelle’s colony proves that they do, so does Altea. You’re not a princess of nothing; you’re a princess of hope. You have so much left to do, Princess. And I would never forgive myself if I kept you tethered here on Earth.”

Allura feels a tear slip down her cheek and hastily wipes it away. “...So what now?” she asks, trying to keep her voice level.

Lance shrugs and stops smiling. He looks up at the sky above them just as it flashes. “Honestly, I don’t know.” He glances back down at her and smiles slowly. “But I think our best bet would be to go inside. It looks like it’s about to rain cats and dogs.”

Allura blinks, slightly alarmed. “Is that normal Earth weather?” she asks.

“It’s an expression,” Lance explains. “It means there’s going to be a fairly nasty storm breaking soon. We’ll be drier and safer indoors.”

Allura nods, but she doesn’t move. Her eyes, still threatening tears, stay locked on a blade of grass near the base of the tree they’re under. It’s easier than looking at Lance.

A hand suddenly appears in her peripheral, and she looks up to see it’s Lance’s. She’s not well-versed in human cultures and gestures, but she’s seen the Paladins engage in this movement enough times to know what it means. Still, she doesn’t know what it’s supposed to mean _now_.

She looks to Lance for an explanation, and he happily obliges. “I think we should be friends. Officially, I mean. I care a lot about you, Princess, and it would mean a lot to me if you would accept my offer of a planatonic relationship.”

Allura snorts a little. Oddly enough, she doesn’t feel as embarrassed as she thought she would about it, especially since it makes Lance crack a smile. “It’s pronounced _pla_-tonic,” she corrects him lightly, “but either way, I accept your offer.”

She leans forward and kisses him. She’s not very experienced, but Lance doesn’t seem to mind after he gets over his shock and kisses back. It’s chaste and is over quickly, but it leaves Allura with a lingering warmth. “Thank you for your kind words tonight,” she whispers with a warm smile.

Lance smiles back and opens his mouth to say something, but a loud noise interrupts him with no warning. They jump and look over to the source of the noise, only to find Kosmo wagging his tail and Keith looking like he’d just stumbled upon a Galra firing squad taking aim at his frozen, pale form.

Lance inhales sharply, and Allura looks over at him to see that he’s equally pale and horrified. The three of them stand frozen for a long moment, Kosmo finally seeming to read the atmosphere and whining when Lance doesn’t greet him enthusiastically like he otherwise might’ve.

Lance seems to come back to himself at the pitiful sound, and he takes a quick step forward, Keith’s name beginning to form on his lips. Before it can leave his mouth, Keith comes back to himself. He turns quickly and runs as fast as he can in the opposite direction. Lance doesn’t even spare Allura a second glance, just races after him, calling his name.

Kosmo looks as confused as Allura feels, and she jogs half-heartedly after the two boys only to see them disappear around the corner of a building and out of sight. Part of her wants to ask Kosmo to help her follow them, but something tells her that this is a private matter. She’s been feeling the tension between the two of them since Keith got back, and now that she’d seen the look on Keith’s face when he caught them kissing, she thinks she understands.

Something cold and wet suddenly splashes onto her head. Another joins it a few seconds later, wetting the side of her nose. She looks up at the sky again and sees something in the clouds flash white and angry. Barely a second later, the sky booms and the ground vibrates a little at the sound.

Allura flinches and looks down at Kosmo. His lowered ears and hunched posture mirrors her fear. “Can you bring us inside?” she asks nervously.

Kosmo whimpers and glances to where Lance and Keith disappeared. “They’ll be okay,” Allura assures. “They’re not stupid enough to stay out in weather like this. And Lance didn’t seem that worried about this storm earlier.”

Kosmo seems hesitant, but the world disappears in a flash of blue sparks anyways a few seconds after Allura puts her hands on his coat, leaving his owner and the boy chasing after him all alone as the lightning flashes and the rain begins to fall.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope i made it clear that i don't mean any disrespect for either allura as a character or allurance as a ship. i'm not used to writing her character, so i hope her whole heart-to-heart with lance doesn't seem ooc or just flat out confusing. i also apologize that this didn't include all the stuff i said it was going to because i wanted to challenge myself with an pov from allura, and allura is too scared of this foreign weather to go snooping. (dw she'll wring all the details from lance later on their first of many spa/gossip nights). you also have no idea how much i wanted to find a way to redeem lotor, but i couldn't really think of anything that didn't make it so romelle couldn't be there with the team and allura was still in a love triangle with lance. maybe i'll write a redemption arc for him later, but no promises. ain't no way he's staying in that terrible abyss forever, not on my watch
> 
> i've been having a lot of completely random and unwarranted almost-panic-attacks recently, so i don't know when i'll post the next story. life's been getting rough, man. and also i've gotta struggle through several more weeks of studio art classes and all the big projects that come with them. i hope y'all can be patient while i try to figure everything out and somehow NOT go insane
> 
> as always, i love you guys, and i love your kudos/comments/etc. with all my heart. i don't reply to comments cause i don't want to annoy you, but trust me, i see them and i love them so much. <3 bye!!!


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